


A Day to Feel

by Scarlet_Curls



Series: Always There for You - A Collection of Renora Oneshots [10]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Anniversary, Childhood Friends, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Marriage Proposal, Not canon compliant anymore lol!, Ruby Rose - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Curls/pseuds/Scarlet_Curls
Summary: It was unfortunate their anniversary fell on the same day Ren lost everything thirteen years ago. Nora wasn't sure if he wanted to celebrate or commemorate. It made her think how lousy a trade she was for his parents and culture.
Relationships: Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie
Series: Always There for You - A Collection of Renora Oneshots [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150589
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	A Day to Feel

It was the day Nora had been dreading.

Their anniversary.

Today, one year ago, Ren reached for her hand on the airship. Today, fourteen years ago, he lost his home, family, culture, and got stuck with her instead. Lousy trade.

Nora rolled over to face him, or what she could see under his messy waterfall of hair. For as long as she'd known him, he had slept on his side, arms and legs tucked in if they weren't tangled with her. In current conditions, they usually wouldn't share a bed. Wasn't appropriate without a place or room of their own, but they weren't afraid to come running when one of them needed the other. Last night, Ren was struck by another flashback of his parent's deaths. Another night of holding him close and combing her fingers through his hair, whispering words of comfort as she felt like a completely inadequate replacement for everything he'd lost. Did she ever talk about this with him? No. She wasn't going to make his pain about her.

And that left her in an odd predicament. Did Ren want to celebrate their anniversary, or commemorate his family? Nora had dodged that question like her opponents in the Vytal Festival, and now it blocked her way. She brushed the hair from Ren's face. He was so peaceful compared to last night. Nora tapped his nose with a soft "Boop." His eyes fluttered open. "Morning, Ren."

"Morning," he croaked.

"How are you feeling?"

He closed his eyes and groaned softly. What did that even mean? "I'm tired?" or "I'm emotionally upset?" Yes, she could read him like a book, but even books had moments of confusion.

"What do you want to do, today?" she asked.

"What do you want to do?"

Nora's chest tightened. "I asked first."

"Sleep…"

"Okay, Ren." She booped his nose and got up.

First tough choice of the day. What to wear? Nora weighed between a pink floral sundress or a dark shirt and jeans. She'd look gorgeous in the first. Ren would love to see her twirl, but should she draw attention to herself? Reluctantly, she slipped the plain, colourless outfit on. It did little to balance the fiery ginger of her hair, like she wore the clothes of a stranger. One last remorseful glance, and she made her way downstairs.

Ruby sat at the kitchen bench, sipping coffee and reading comics on her scroll. She smiled at Nora, and then frowned after scanning her outfit. "What's with the Blake get-up?"

Was it that noticeable? She faked apathy and shrugged. "Just threw it on."

"Right." She hopped off her stool and placed her mug by the sink. "Is it safe to make you coffee?"

"No thanks."

Ruby cocked an eyebrow. "You seem gloomy?"

"Still waking up," she said, a little too stiffly.

Ruby flashed her a sceptical glare. "Team RWBY and Jaune are going out to train today. Oscar and Qrow are off at some top secret meeting with the Shade headmaster. You and Ren will have the house to yourself." She smirked. "Just don't get too carried away." Nora blushed, and Ruby giggled. "Lighten up. You have every reason to smile." She winked and left the room. What did she mean by that? Ruby didn't understand her dilemma. She probably expected happy happy fun times from them.

With the kitchen to herself, Nora chomped on an apple as she reflected on the past year with Ren. It was interesting. They still had to deal with chaos and adventure around every corner, and things between theme were still the same for the most part, but it felt wonderful to not have any more secrets from him, to be able to touch him in ways she had fantasised about for years. Well, most ways. He didn't care much for sex, so they only did it occasionally. Not that she minded. His comfort was always a priority.

"What's with the Blake get-up?"

Nora almost dropped her apple core. "You're up early."

Ren stood in the doorway, wearing black jeans and a bottle green t-shirt. His average casual attire. Didn't tell her anything new, but the lack of pink accents in his outfit concerned her. New point in favour of sad day, it seemed. He checked the fridge and pantry. "What would you like on your pancakes?"

"What do we have?"

He closed the pantry door. "I'll go to the corner store."

"No, no. It's fine." She hopped off her chair, chucked her apple core in the bin, and checked the pantry herself. "We still have maple syrup."

Ren pulled a look of mock surprise. "Really?"

Usually she would pout melodramatically, or lightly punch his shoulder in response, but still unsure about today, she frowned. "I'll go for classic."

"No chocolate chips?" he asked. "Marshmallows? Rainbow bacon?"

"I'm good."

Ren was impressive in many ways, and one of them was the ability to whip up a fluffy batter in minutes. He poured some into the heated pan for the first one. Nora watched him, again trying to dissect his behaviour that day. He didn't seem upset, but he didn't seem particularly happy either. When he felt down, it wasn't unusual to prioritise her happiness despite that. Something seemed off about him, but they were the tiniest hints. She could be making them up. Right now, Ren was as hard to read for her as any other stranger, and she hated that on this day in particular she had to feel that way.

Nora stepped forward and hugged him from behind. His free hand jerked towards the unfinished plate of pancakes, but stopped when he realised she wasn't even trying to snatch them. "Nora?"

"Yes, Ren?"

"Did Jaune tell you anything recently, or Ruby?"

"No. Why?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry."

 _I can never stop worrying._ He kept working, making pancake after pancake in silence, and glancing over his shoulder at her from time to time, like he expected her to say something, but what? "I thought I was the quiet one."

She sighed and nuzzled his back. "Are you okay?"

Throughout the years, Nora familiarised herself with every kind of silence Ren projected. There were silences of contentment, bottled anxiety, admiration, attentiveness, and so much more. His silences were never nothing, like so many assumed, and rarely were they meant to ignore. This particular silence exuded something like unease, as he stiffened slightly and placed a hand over one of hers.

"Do you know what day it is?" asked Nora.

"Our anniversary."

"And?"

"Why are you bringing that up?"

It was as if a knife tore them apart. No longer was he in her arms in front of the stove. He stood across from her, face painfully blank, and Nora blurted, "I'm sorry. I didn't- I wasn't sure what you wanted this day to be. I thought if I talked about it, I'd be making your pain about myself and-" She groaned and covered her face, thoughts such a jumbled mess that she couldn't form them into words. "I didn't want you to think you needed to be happy."

"I still miss them," he said, "but I don't need a day for it."

Nora shook her head. "You don't get it," she said. "I can't live up to everything you lost. I can't stop you from grieving. I've been trying to get over it, but I can't."

He stepped forward. "Why are you putting these pressures on yourself?" he asked. "You're not a replacement, Nora. You're more than that."

She brushed away a stray tear. "I'm sorry. Being stupid, like always."

He shook his head. "Sometimes I-" Nora knew that sudden pause too well, despite how rare it was. One of those few times he'd expose the deepest parts of his heart so securely locked away.

She stepped towards him and reached for a lock of his hair to play with. That always made him feel at ease during these moments. "It's okay to tell me."

He gave her a look, soft eyes, miniscule smile, that said I know. "Sometimes I worry you won't need me anymore, like you'll get to a point where you're fine on your own, and I'd still be a mess holding you back. Hey-"

Nora pulled him into a spine-crushing embrace. "That would never happen," she said. "I'm not sure I even know how to live without you."

He hugged her back. "Same."

Nora popped up on her tippy-toes to meet his lips. They kissed softly, slowly, lovingly, until Ren pulled away, sniffing the air. "Is something burning?"

Nora smelled it to, and whipped her head to the side. She yelped. Flames flared from the frying pan. Ren snatched up a lid and slammed it on top.

Nora blinked. "Well shit."

"I'll have to scrub it."

"You do that. I'll go get changed into something less Blake-y."

With a boop to his nose, she went upstairs and got changed into her pink floral sundress. Clothes had that strange effect of changing your demeanour. She loved pink because it evoked a sense of cheerfulness in her, and reminded her of that one streak in Ren's hair that she loved so dearly.

Knowing Ren would still be busy, she indulged in a little makeup, including a pink eyeshadow and Ruby gave her for her birthday a few months back.

Mood much elated, she skipped downstairs and stopped in the doorway just as Ren plated the final pancake. "Hey, Renny," she called. When his eyes found her, he paused, spatula dangerously loose in his grip, as he examined her head to toe. Nora's cheeks warmed, but she walked towards him with her arm outstretched. "Will you twirl me?" she asked. He smiled, took her hand, and she twirled, dress flaring, into his chest. "I love you, Ren." Why was his heart beating so fast? "Ren?"

"I love you too."

She burrowed into his eyes with her narrow gaze.

"What?" he asks.

"I know something's been bothering you."

"It's nothing."

"It's everything to me."

He sighed and kissed her forehead. "It probably will be." He reached for the plate of pancakes.

Nora groaned. "Now I have to know."

"You will. Just wait."

"I don't wanna," she groaned. "It's gonna torment me all day."

"And you'll torment me?"

Nora smirked. "Starting now." She followed him to the table. "What is it, Ren? What is it? Tell me, tell me, tell me. I have to know."

"No."

"Is it a bad secret?"

"No."

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"Now isn't the right time."

"When is the right time?"

"I don't know."

She noticed an odd cube-shaped bulge in his front pocket just before he sat down. "What's that?"

"Nora, eat your pancakes."

"So," she said, plopping into the chair beside him. "It's supposed to really important. It's making you nervous. It isn't a bad secret, I'll know when the 'right moment comes', and it has something to do with a mysterious small box." Nora chewed a mouthful of pancakes thoughtfully. "I wonder what it is?"

Ren sighed and buried his face in his. "You're about to figure it out, aren't you?"

"I think so. Are we going on some romantic spy mission or something? First thing that came to mind, I swear."

He chuckled. "Okay, I'll tell you."

Nora fist-pumped. "Yes!"

Ren took a deep breath. "You are not the only one who realised that the date we got together-together, was the same we got together. Since that day…" The moment she sensed hesitation from him, as he exposed that heart again, she reached for his hair again. "You've given me food as you starved, warmth as you shivered, protection when you were bruised. I look back on that time, and I'm speechless."

"Aren't you always?"

"Not today. I've got it memorised." He paused. "Where was I?"

"Talking about how badass I am," said Nora. "The answer is yes, by the way."

He lit up with a mixture of shock, excitement, and disappointment. She laughed. Nora loved those few moments when she caught him off guard. Finally, he said, "Can I finish?"

"I shall permit it."

"Thank-you, my Queen." He turned in his chair to face her, and took her hands. "When we found stability in Mistral, I wanted to repay you. I learned to cook so you'd never be hungry. I saved money so we'd always have shelter. I learned to fight so I could keep you safe. There were times where I had no idea what the future would hold. All I knew is you needed to be there, or there'd be nothing. You are my future. I've known that for thirteen years. I didn't quite know how you'd fit until a year ago." He drew the box from his pocket. "Together." He pulled his chair away from the table. "Together-together." He stood on one knee. "And now," he opened the box, revealing a silver ring with a pink flower gem. "Together-together-together?"

Nora could not contain her wide, record-breaking grin. Tears twinkled in her eyes. "Yes!" she screeched, tackling him in another hug. (He had predicted this, and made sure no furniture was in the way.) She peppered his face with kisses. "I love you so much!"

"I- love- you- too," he struggled to say under the rain of affection. "Can I sit up?"

Nora moved off him and he reached for the box and ring he had dropped. He held out a hand. Nora gave hers, and he slipped the ring onto her finger. "It's perfect." She smiled as she admired it. "I suppose we'll wait another year to be together-together-together-together."

"I think we're pushing that in-joke too far." He kissed her hand. "But yes, if we survive this war."

"No. _When_ the war is over."

**Author's Note:**

> This was written before V7, hence why some details might be a bit off from canon. Hope you enjoyed anyways!


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